Thoughts on Audiobooks

A few weeks ago, when visiting my parents, I decided on a whim to try out an audiobook from my mom's library.  She listens to them all the time, but I was always hesitant to give them a go; the few times I tried them in the past always ended with me ejecting the first disc, bored and distracted.  She talked me into giving them a second chance, and I decided to compromise by listening to a book I'd already read and liked.  

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I assumed it would take me a long while to finish, since I only really drive about an hour a day, broken into 15 to 20 minute chunks, but I made progress on it pretty quickly.  And, most notably of all, it completely resolved any of my impatience or frustration I felt with the drivers around me.  If I got stuck in traffic or behind a slow-moving driver, instead of muttering angry words, I ended up excited that I got to "read" more. In no time, I had blown through the first two Harry Potter books, and now I'm well into my third.  
I'm planning to breeze through all 7 HP audiobooks and then turn my sights on books I haven't already read, which brings me to this question: Is listening to an audiobook the same as reading the book?  If you listened to War and Peace and then someone asked you if you've read it, how would you respond?  On the one hand, I feel like the main outcome of reading something is the ability to talk about it with others who have read it, and I'm confident you can definitely do that after listening to the audiobook version.  On the other hand, it just feels kind of cheat-y.  Almost like you read the Cliff's Notes and are alleging you read the traditional version.  
What do you think?  Audiobooks and traditional books -- the same?  Different?  Any great (audio)book recommendations for me?  

Cocktail Recommendations

When I go out to the bars, I always gravitate toward liquor.  I hate beer, and I rarely feel like paying for a grossly overpriced glass of wine, so, liquor it is.  For a long while, my go-to drink has been sweet tea vodka and lemonade, otherwise known as a Firefly, an Arnold Palmer, or a John Daly.

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I get easily flustered when trying to order it at a bar, though.  A lot of bars, in Pittsburgh at least, don't stock sweet tea vodka.  That uncertainty, combined with not knowing if the darned drink has a real name or not, makes me hesitate before trying to order it.  I hate, hate, hate waiting in line at a bar, finally catching the bartender's attention, and then putting in an order for a drink they don't make.  So, my favorite drink also happens to be one I rarely enjoy when out and about.
In an effort to have an easy mixed drink for my nights out, I've developed a taste for vodka and Sprite.

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Every single bar has vodka and every single bar has Sprite.  It's nice and safe, which is a definite plus in my book.
Maybe I'm getting bored of my go-to, but I'm itching to try some new stuff.  So, I figured that anyone who may browse this page could offer up some great recommendations.  
What are your go-to cocktails (for home or when out at a bar)?  

Matt and Allie's Wedding - The Big Day!

Wedding Saturday started early for me, and I wasn't even in the main event!  I had to drop Billy off for a groom's brunch and then run a few errands to help make sure the Best Man world was under control.  Once I got back to our apartment, it was time to kick off the wedding day with something more my speed.

I've decided that I'm going to watch this movie the morning of any/all weddings I can.  I mean, how can you sit through it without getting all warm and fuzzy??
Once the movie wrapped up, I grabbed one of my BFFs, Kate, and headed off to the church.  As if all weddings aren't emotional and exciting enough, this one had a little something extra.

In case you couldn't tell from that first photo, Allie and Matt's big day is going to be featured on TLC's Four Weddings program!  (In case you're a little lost, this show revolves around four brides attending each other's weddings and ranking them on a couple different categories.  The winning bride wins a trip!)  A few people in attendance knew about the TV element of things before the wedding, but for those who didn't, it became pretty clear something was up.  The TV crew was quiet but didn't exactly fade into the background.  Even though I was positioned almost directly behind them, it didn't dampen my enjoyment of the ceremony one bit.

After the ceremony, I caught up with high school friends who had traveled to Pittsburgh for the wedding, while Billy took pictures with the rest of the bridal party.  
The reception was in a gorgeous space decorated to the nines with beautiful linens, dramatic lighting, and lots of happy people.  Billy's speech was pretty early into the evening, which helped us all relax.  I may be a bit biased, but I think he did an amazing job and had the crowd laughing and crying by the time it was all said and done.  I was so, so proud of him!

Allie and Matt had a really sweet first dance to Jason Mraz's I Won't Give Up on You.

Then, Allie and her dad hit the dance floor for the father-daughter dance, which is always one of my favorite parts.

A couple minutes in, though, the music cut out, and these two immediately switched into a hip-hop dance, complete with bedazzled headgear and back-up dancers, that took everyone by surprise, including the groom and the mother of the bride!!

Needless to say, every guest in the hall was on their feet, and the energy in the room was electric.  It started an amazing dance party (which included a very sweet mother-son dance that I didn't grab any pictures of!).  By the end of the night, I felt like an absolute wreck, which is exactly how you're supposed to feel at the end of a killer wedding, right??

Even though I still don't feel back to 100%, I'm so grateful I was able to be included in this joyous celebrations.  This was the first friend wedding for Billy and me, and it has definitely set the bar high.  Fortunately, we have three more between now and this time next year, so we have a lot to look forward to!
What's the biggest surprise you've ever seen at a wedding?

Matt and Allie's Wedding - The Rehearsal

Over the weekend, two of our nearest and dearest friends got married, and Billy had the great honor of serving as the Best Man.  So, on Friday, we scurried right after work to the church for the rehearsal.  As a bridal party significant other, I decided it was my task to take pictures because I had no direction to be receiving from the priest.

Immediately afterward, we headed to a nearby Rock Bottom restaurant, where most of the people in attendance proceeded to stuff ourselves silly with the delicious Mac 'n' Chicken.  As if that wasn't enough, Allie had arranged to have a groom's cake made to surprise Matt.  You see, Matt is a huge Chipotle fan.  I think he would eat it every day if his waistline, wallet, and wife could stand it.  So, when Allie had to choose something for the surprise cake, it was a no-brainer.

With happy hearts and very full bellies, everyone called it a night to prep for the big day! What's the coolest surprise cake you've ever seen?

Not Your Average Monday

In an hour or so, my baby bruvah is going to get wheeled into an operating room at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh to have a heart valve replaced.  Trying to focus on the positives here...

• He and my parents will be in Pittsburgh for the majority of this week.  They won't really be up for gallivanting around the city and taking in the sights, but it's nice that I can visit them after a 20-minute drive versus a 2-hour drive.
• I am planning to peer pressure him into binge-watching some TV shows that I have obsessed over so he can share in this obsession, since he'll have some serious time on his hands during his recovery.
• Because this is a follow-up surgery to a surgery he had when he was only a few months old, it's being done at a children's hospital.  There's just something ridiculous about a 6-foot tall 20-something being taken care of by the same staff that take care of toddlers and the like.  Apparently most rooms have an Xbox 360 in them and the various floors and wings of the hospital are named after zoo animals.  That's inherently joyful, right?

So, if you have an excess of positive energy to send out into the universe today, send some toward Pittsburgh, PA, and keep your appendages crossed for smooth sailing for my family this week.  See you on the other side, brother.